1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heating systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many attempts have been made to create heat in fluids by producing internal friction through turbulence. The following United States patents were found in a prior art search conducted before the filing of the present application:
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Moline 4,285,329 08/25/81 Grenier 4,277,020 07/07/81 Freinage 4,273,075 06/16/81 Line 4,256,085 03/17/81 Lutz 4,060,194 11/29/77 Stenstrom 4,004,553 01/25/77 Eskeli 3,791,167 02/12/74 Love et al 3,164,147 01/05/65 Kollsman 2,520,729 08/29/50 ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 2,520,729 to Kollsman discloses a finned rotor with passages for expanding input gas as it moves towards the axis of rotation and for recompressing the gas and moves out through other passages. The gas is heated during the expansion phase. The heat is drawn from the gas in the recompression phase to preheat gas in the expansion phase.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,147 to Love et al discloses rotating disks which rub to generate heat from friction. The frictional heat is transferred to an oil bath surrounding the rubbing disks.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,167 to Eskeli discloses a heat exchange apparatus in which heat is passed between two fluids, at least one of which is compressible. The fluids pass in opposite direction through parallel passages which go around the periphery of a rotor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,194 to Lutz discloses an apparatus for pumping a silicone fluid through an element with a plurality of small openings. The fluid is heated by the compressional shear forces as it is forced through the small openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,085 to Line discloses an impeller rotatably mounted within a heat transfer liquid. Heat is generated by the frictional forces created by the rotating impeller. The patent discloses that a rough cast surface supplies more frictional heat than a smooth polished surface. It suggests that it may be necessary to score the surface of plastic materials used for the impeller.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,020 to Grenier discloses a method of heating fluid by frictional agitation in passages formed between the interior surface of a housing and the exterior of a rotatable drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,075 to Freihage discloses a sealed metal drum with a rotatable agitator for forcing oil to the inner wall of the drum. The oil is heated by the shearing force of movement between vanes on the agitator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,553 to Stenstrom discloses a rotatable disk which heats fluid that is passed around the periphery of the disk. The device is used for heat treating liquids, such as in the pasteurization of milk. The turbulence in the peripheral areas of the rotating disk heats the liquid. The patent discloses the intensifying effect of a rough, grooved, or uneven surface on the rotating disk.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,329 to Moline discloses a friction heat generator having stationary and rotatable friction disk assemblies. A thin fluid film lies between each pair of disks. The heat is created by the shearing of the thin fluid film. The application discloses radial channels for centrifugally forcing the liquid to the peripheral edge.
The teaching of the prior art has been to attempt to produce heat by rotating a member in relation to a stationary wall. The heat recovered is relatively small compared to the electricity or other energy expended to rotate the member.
The various grooves and rough surfaces shown in the prior art disks merely attempt to induce additional turbulence between the moving member and the stationary wall.